Machine for assembling artificial trees, branches and the like



A. KRASZESKI ET AL MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING ARTIFICIAL A ril 30, 1968 TREES, BRANCHES AND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Sept. 14, 1965 lb 1. F I

mvsn'mng Arlh Ste av mm m A. KRASZESKI E AL 3,380,487 MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING ARTIFICIAL TREES. BRANCHES AND THE LIKE 5 Sheets-Sheet April 30, 1968 Filed Sept. 14, 1965 A mmvimoask r ur r 1 e; Stephen[fK enL' A ORNEY April 30, 1968 sz spq ET AL 3,380,487

MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING ARTIFICIAL TREES, BRANCHES AND THE LIKE Filed Sept. 14, 1965 3 Sheets-Sheet 3 TURNEY United States Patent 3,380,487 MACHINE FOR ASSEMBLING ARTIFICIAL TREES, BRANCHES AND THE LIKE Arthur Kraszeski and Stephen D. Kent, Newburgh, N.Y.,

assignors to R. 0. Kent Corp., New York, N.Y., a corporation of New York Filed Sept. 14, 1965, Ser. No. 487,253 34 Claims. (Cl. 140-149) ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The machine operates sequentially through its cycle to assemble automatically enough spaced apart twigforming straight garlands to form substantially conventional artificial tree branches having a number of long twigs. Each garland has transversely projecting fragile artificial needles held between a pair of twisted garland wires. A set of such preformed garlands longer than the required twig length-s, is safely and simultaneously advanced without damage to the needles so that each individual garland may, if desired, be advanced a different distance from that advanced by other garlands. When the end portions of the advanced garlands are in position interposed between and across a pair of limb wires in a twister mechanism, the assembly of wires and garlands are clamped together. After clam-ping and before twisting of the limb wires to fix the garlands to the limb wires, all the garlands are cut at the same time to separate a twig from each, though the twigs may all be of the same length or of different lengths. After the clamped twigs are cut "free from their respective garlands, the limb wires are twisted. After twisting, the twister opens and discharges the assembly preparatory to the repetition of the cycle. Suitable electrical and air controls and actuators are provided for the automatic operation of the various mechanisms.

This invention relates to machines and methods for assembling artificial branched Christmas trees or the branches for such trees and particularly to machines and methods for processing combination twisted wire and plastic garlands.

Tree garlands are usually of the type comprising fringed vinyl or the like thin film twisted bet-ween two wires and are frequently used for the branches of large trees or the twigs of small trees and will be referred to herein-after as garlands of twig length or twigs. The twigs are held in place by setting them transversely across and at the desired spaced apart intervals between a pair of main tying wires for the tree trunk or branch, or in other words, sandwiohing the twigs between the main or limb wires. The main wires are then twisted to form the branch assembly or limb. Usually, about half of the length of the twig projects and stands out past the main wires on one side and the other half projects past the other side of the main wires to form a symmetrical branch. The projecting halves are finally bent to the proper position to make the desired angle with the main wires. The above described operation-s haveheretofore been performed manually, except for the twisting of the main wires, are time consuming and are relatively expensive.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide means and a method for automatically, speedily and economically performing all or at least some of the twig feeding, main wire feeding and assembling operations, including feeding a multiplicity of long length garlands in the proper spaced apart relation, cutting off from the leading end portions of the respective long length garlands, twigs which differ in length from each 3,380,487 Patented Apr. 30, 1968 other or twig lengths all or some of the same size after said leading end portions have been fed into the desired positions across a lower main or limb wire and after an upper limb wire has been manually or automatically arranged over the twigs and then twisting the two main wires to secure them together with the severed otf twigs securely sandwiched between them.

A further object of the invention is the provision of relatively high speed means for feeding and cutting garlands and feeding main wires into the proper assembled positions for twisting at a twisting station which may be the same or a different station from the station where the assembling is done.

A further object of the invention, in the case where the twisting station is spaced from the assembling station, is the twisting of an assembled branch at the twisting station while the succeeding branch is being assembled at the assembling station.

Another object of the invention is the provision of means and a method for sequentially performing all of the operations necessary to form from long garlands and to assemble, short garland twigs with the main wires and repeating the cycle of operations without the need of attention on the part of the operator except to replenish the supply of wires and long garlands.

A still further object of the invention is the provision of means and a method for simultaneously feeding a plurality of long lengths of separate garlands different or equal distances across a main wire, cutting off different or equal length twigs from the garlands to attain a branch or limb or the desired configuration after sandwiching the twig lengths between the main wire and a second main wire and securing the assembly together by twisting means into which the main wires are inserted manually or are fed from a hopper thereinto in the proper sequence, or by transferring the assembly previously gathered at the assembling station to the twist ing station by mechanical means which suitably grip the sandwiched twigs and main wires.

Still another object of the invention is the provision of a method for speedily making and assembling branches having twigs differing in length by simultaneous severing of a multiplicity of long garlands.

The above and other objects of the invention will be apparent as the description progresses and from the drawings, in which FIG. 1 is a top plan view of a machine embodying the invention but with the main wire supplying means omitted, and showing the twig-forming and feeding means to produce and arrange twigs differing in length.

FIG. 2 is a front elevational View of the feeding and cutting mechanism of FIG. 1 with parts broken away to show the feed rolls.

FIG. 3 is a side elevational view of the machine of FIG. 1 partly in section, the vise of the twisting mechanism being omitted.

FIG. 4 is a front elevational view of the rotary wiregripping chuck of the twisting mechanism, partly in section.

FIG. 5 is a front elevational view of the twisting mechanism, showing the pre-assernbly held thereby.

FIG. 6 is a diagrammatic top plan view of 'a single movable cutting blade adapted to form twigs of equal length shown arranged largely on one side of the main wires, the retracted position of the blade being shown in dotted lines.

FIG. 7 is a similar view of individual cutting blades for each garland, illustrating one example of twigs of different length adapted to be formed by the machine and showing a modified arrangement of such twigs.

FIG. 8 is a side elevational view of a modified form of ICC the machine including means for assembling the wires and garlands at an assembling station and for transferring the wire and garland assembly to the twisting station, the transfer mechanism being shown at the assembling station and the vise being omitted for clarity of illustration as in FIG. 3.

FIG. 9 is a fragmentary side elevational view of part of the means for feeding main wires from the wire hopper to the transfer mechanism.

FIG. 10 is a fragmentary side elevational view of the means for indexing the jaws of the rotary chuck preparatory to receiving the limb assembly from the transfer mechanism.

FIG. 11 is a front elevational view of FIG. 8 with the vise also shown.

FIG. 12 is a view similar to FIG. 8 showing the transfer mechanism in the position wherein the assembly deposited in the twisting mechanism has been released.

FIG. 13 is a perspective view of one form of the product of the machine after the main wires have been twisted with the twig garlands and discharged from the machine.

In the practical embodiment of the invention shown by way of example in FIGS. 1-5, showing a machine for cut ting from long garlands twigs differing in length such as are illustrated in FIG. 13, after arranging the garlands over a main wire 15 previously supplied in any suitable manner to the twisting mechanism, the longitudinal axis of said mechanism is positioned in angular or non-parallel relation to the cutting edge of the garland cutting blade 16. The short but otherwise similar twigs 2, 2a, 2b, 2c, 2d, 22, 2 and 2g are cut simultaneously by said blade off the end portions of and freed from the various separate long length straight garlands 1, 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, 1 and 1g respectively, the garlands being spaced apart transversely the required distances while being fed preferably along parallel lines for the same time period but at different speeds. In the usual forms thereof as indicated in FIG. 13, the long garlands are made elsewhere of suitable plastic film fringed into imitation of tree needles along both margins and sandwiched and twisted between two wires as 17, 18 (FIG. 13) so that the needles consisting of the fringe fingers stand out at various angles to the wires to represent foliage. Each long garland 1, 1a, 1b, 1c, 1d, 1e, If and 1g is advanced the proper distance predetermined therefor, by an individual pair of cooperating rolls as 3, 4, there being a pair of such rolls for each long garland. The upper rolls 3-3g are loosely mounted on the same stationary shaft 19 and are driven only by the lower rolls.

Each upper roll has a soft rubber or sponge-like cover yielding sufficiently to prevent crushing or injury of the quite fragile plastic fringe needles. Said upper rolls can be lifted enough to permit the easy insertion thereunder of the garlands into the nip of the rolls before the machine is started for the first time. The lower rolls are of equal diameter and are covered with a friction type material such as hard rubber. Said lower rolls 4-4g, in the form of the invention being described, are driven at different circumferential speeds through the belt pulleys 20, 20a, 20b, 20c, 20d, 20e, 20] and 20g or the like rotatable on the fixed shaft 21 and preferably of equal diameters. In turn, the pulleys are driven by the belts as 22 individually through the respective pulleys 23, 23a, 23b, 23c, 23d, 23c, 23 and 23g on the rotatable shaft 24.

As shown in FIG. 2, the feed drive pulley 23 at the left of the figure is relatively small in diameter to enable its periphery to move through a relatively small distance on a given number of revolutions or the fraction of a revolution imparted to the shaft 24. To control and drive said shaft, a pulley 25 thereon is rotated through a suitable transmission comprising the clutch and brake device 26, motor 27, motor pulley 28, clutch pulley 29, brake pulley 30, motor belt 31 and the revolution counter 33 operating through its pulley 35, belt 36 and the control pulley 32 on the clutch and brake shaft 34. The clutch may be of any suitable and known type such as a magnetic clutch controlled by the revolution counter 33 through suitable electrical connections, and is adapted to be magnetically disengaged at the end of the specific number of revolutions of the shaft 34 for which the counter is set, whereupon the brake becomes operative to halt rotation of the shaft.

The uniform angular velocity of the drive shaft pulley 24,'together with the different diameters of the pulleys 23-23g thereon, result in different circumferential velocities of the individual drive pulleys 23-23g and of the feed rolls 3-3g and 44g. Consequently, differing lengths of the end portions of the various long garlands are fed simultaneously during the same time period by the feed mechanism described, such lengths being changeable and controlled by selecting the ratio of the various diameters of the different drive pulleys to each other, and also selecting the desired number of revolutions or fractions thereof to which the revolution counter is set and adjusting the counter for such number. In this way, the amount which each garland is fed is controlled and the individual twig lengths determined as shown in FIGS. 1, 6 and 7. The counter resets automatically in a known manner at the end of the feeding movement. On restarting the cutting and feeding cycle, suitable electrical connections to the last operating part of the machine at the end of the cycle deliver a new feeding impulse operative to disconnect the brake and to reengage the clutch for a repetition of the cycle.

In FIG. 1, the lengths of the twigs 2-2g increase from left to right in equal increments. In FIG. 6, the twigs 102- 102g are of equal lengths and in FIG. 7 the twigs 202- 202g are of such lengths as to form an irregular surface outline instead of a regular conical surface outline. The position and structure of the reciprocating cutting blade 116 of FIG. 6 or of the separate and individual blades 216-216a of FIG. 7 as well as the position of the axis of the twisting mechanism determine the arrangement of the twigs relatively to the main wires 15 and 15a. Where, as'in FIG. 6, the blade 116 is parallel and quite close to the axis of the twisting mechanism and the main wires, the twigs extend but little beyond the main wires rearwardly, but become arranged almost entirely in front of and substantially perpendicular to said wires. In FIG. 7, only one twig 202 extends almost completely in front of the main wires, the remaining twigs forming a symmetrical branch by extending equal distances both in front of and behind the main wires and are shown as increasing irregularly in length from the twigs 202a to 202g.

In that form of the branch shown in FIGS. 6 and 7, it is advisable that the cutting blade as 116 or 216, which severs the garland close to the main wire, be retracted to avoid interference with the blade by the rotating garlands during the twisting operation if such operation is performed without further movement of the garlands and wires after cutting. To provide for such retraction and thereby to avoid injuring the fringe of the garlands, and also if desired, to provide for the adjustment of the twig lengths, the cutting means as a unit is mounted on a forwardly and rearwardly movable base 38 resting on the rollers 39 which roll in a suitable groove in the frame of the machine (FIGS. 2 and 3). For the blade 16 and its coacting fixed blade 40 shown, it becomes unnecessary to retract the cutting mechanism because the cutting edge 41 of the blade 16 meets the cutting edge 42 of the fixed blade and the front faces of the blades are coplanar and do not interfere with the rotation of the severed rear end portions of the twigs. However, if shearing blades in which the cutting edges move relatively past each other, are substituted for the blades 16 and 40, then retraction of the blade base after the twig-severing operation is accomplished by the air cylinders 43 (FIG. 3) on the machine frame 44 and connected to the blade base. For completely symmetrical limbs or branches, the cylinders 43 may be omitted and a suitable fastening means such as the screws 46 (FIG. 1) substituted to secure the blade base in any selected position thereof.

Suitable electrical connections between the solenoid valves for the air cylinders and the means for energizing the solenoids are provided not only for setting the cutting and feeding mechanisms into operation in the proper sequence as hereinbefore indicated, but also for controlling the performance of the various succeeding and successive operations in the machine cycle, each operation being controlled and initiated with or without delay during the last part of the movement of the preceding mechanism or by a conventional cycle timer. Such connections, as well as the instrumentalities customarily used and incidental thereto such as micro-switches, time delay and other switches of various types, relays including time delay relays, clutches, solenoid valves, timers and the like are conventional for triggering actuators and have been omitted from the drawings for the sake of clarity and ease of illustration and need not be described in detail. Other known devices such as punched tape programs, or synchronized cam timers may also be obviously employed for insuring proper sequential operation of the mechanisms herein described instead of separate switches.

At the beginning of the cycle, the retractable base 38 of the cutting means is in its rearmost position under the action of the cylinders 43. The blade 16, 116 or 216 as the case may be, is then in its uppermost position raised by the air cylinders and solenoid valves designated by the numeral 50. The garlands are in the nip of the feed rolls 3, 4 and the like. To guide the upper blade in its reciprocating movement, the bolts 51 projecting therefrom pass through the guide slots 52 in the backing member 53 upstanding from the cutter base 38. A lower main wire has been arranged in the twisting means. The cycle proceeds by the feeding of the garlands the proper distance, the advance of the cutter base, the halting of the garland feed, the arrangement of the upper m-ain wire over the garlands and the lower wire, the gripping of the ends of the wires, the lowering of the upper blade to sever the garlands, the retraction of the cutter base and the twisting of the main wires.

The twisting mechanism comprises the rotary chuck 54 having the clamping jaws 55 opened and closed by the levers 56 pivoted to the jaw housing 57 and operated by the conical sleeve 58 sliding on the chuck shaft 59. Operating in the groove 60 of the sleeve is the pin 61 at the upper end of the link 62, the lower end of the link being connected to the rod 63 of the solenoid valve and air cylinder 64. The chuck jaws are normally open preparatory to receiving the main wires 15 and 15a and are closed upon the wire ends just before the rotation of the chuck shaft is begun. Such rotation is imparted to the shaft through the pulley 66 thereon, the belt 67, the motor and motor starter 6-8 and the pulley 69 which are set into operation after the garlands have been cut and the chuck jaws closed. The other ends of the main wires are gripped by the vise jaws 70, 71 mounted on the vise base 72 which is slidable on the frame 23 in the direction of the axis of the twisting mechanism. A spring 74 (FIG. 5) connected to the base 72 by the cable 75 serves to maintain the base and the vise normally retracted in position to receive the ends of the main wires between the fixed jaws 70 and the movable jaws 71. After the jaws of the chuck and vise have been closed on the main wires and the twigs have been cut from the garlands, the motor 68 is actuated and begins the rotation of the chuck and main wires at the ends held by the chuck thereby to twist said wires with the twigs sandwiched therebetween.

Said wires shorten somewhat as the twisting proceeds thereby to pull the vise frame or base 72 toward the chuck 54 against the action of the spring 74. The relay to the motor 68 is deenergized at the completion of the twisting operation. When freed of the motor, the chuck reverses its rotation slightly under the influence of the winding tension stored in the wires. The internal tension in the wires is thereby relieved to permit the wire ends to be withdrawn from the chuck without distortion or jamming therein. The jaws of the chuck are then opened and release the wire ends whereupon the spring 74 retracts the vise to its normal position and withdraws the wires from the open chuck. Finally, the vise jaws are opened by the air cylinder and solenoid valve 76 to release the other ends of the wires and to permit the work to drop out of the machine.

It may here be noted that since the twisting mechanism comprising the chuck and vise are located in FIGS. 1-5 at the assembling station, the main wires are fed vertically into the chuck and jaws so that the movable jaw 71 of the vise is reciprocated in a horizontal path in opening and closing the vise. However, in the form of the machine shown in FIG. 11 wherein the twisting station is distant from the assembling station, the jaws of the vise at the twisting station move in a vertical path so that the movable jaw 72a is above the fixed jaw 70a as is the cylinder 76a. It will also be understood that the main wires 15 and 15a are inserted into the jaws of the chuck and vise manually or mechanically as desired. While no automatic wire feed mechanism is shown in FIGS. l-5, it is obvious that the wire hopper, chutes and feed wheel shown in FIGS. 8- 12 and later to he described in detail may be employed to deposit the main wires in the proper sequence into the twisting jaws. In that case, the hopper is arranged high enough to clear the twigs during the rotation thereof during the twisting operation. It will also be understood that the specific automatic wire feed shown is illustrative of one of numerous forms of feed for wire lengths as 15 and 15a delivered to mechanism for further processing or for assembly with other articles and is not intended to be limitative in that respect.

The wire feed mechanism shown in FIGS. 8-12 is shown in connection with a twisting mechanism arranged at a twisting station spaced forwardly of the assembly station for the wires and garlands, thereby to permit twisting at one station simultaneously with assembly of a succeeding article at the other station. The individual wire feeding star wheel 79, the wire hoppers 8G and the wire feed chutes 81 .at the assembling station occupy approximately the position of the twisting mechanism of FIGS. l-3, 6 or 7 as indicated by the main wire 15 of said figures. To rotate the star wheel 79 at the required intervals, the air cylinder and solenoid valve 78 is operatively connected to the ratchet wheel 77 on the star wheel shaft by a suitable spring pressed ratchet pawl (FIGS. 11 and 12). A transfer carriage 82 on the platform carries the wire grippers 83 and the means for operating the grippers. The carriage runs on the rails 84 and is reciprocated with delay at the end of each stroke, from the assembling to the twisting stations to transfer and to insert the assembled twigs and wires in proper timed relation to the other operations into the twisting jaws after the grippers have closed on the main wires.

The transfer carriage is connected by the cables 86, 87 and the pulleys 88, 89 to the opposite sides of a piston reciprocating in the long stroke cable air cylinder 90 controlled by a suitable solenoid valve. Upstanding from the carriage 82 is the bracket 91 carrying the gripper shaft 92 on which is secured the pinion 93 and the hook-like gripper jaw 94 cooperating with the fixed jaw 95 to grip the main wires therebetween before the wires are twisted and at points between the twigs as shown in FIG. 11. The gripper shaft 92 is rotated by the rack 96 meshing with the pinion 93 and moved downwardly into the position shown in FIG. 8 by the air cylinder and solenoid valve 97 to press the main wires together at the assembling station and thereby to hold the twigs in place between said wires during the transfer operation. It will be understood that the garland feed has stopped and that the cutters sever the garlands at about the time or immediately after the gripper jaws have closed. In the meantime, the twisting mechanism has completed the twisting of the preceding limbs,,and the chuck jaws 55 have been opened to release said limb and are about to be indexed to receive the assembled wires and twigs conveyed thereto by the gripping and transfer mechamsrn.

The means for indexing the chuck jaws shown in FIGS. 3, and -12 is so designed as to turn the jaws into a generally horizontal position regardless of where they may stop at the end of the twisting and slight untwisting operations. While in the form of FIGS. 1-4, the jaws of the chuck and vise are generally vertical to permit the main wires to be inserted thereinto one at a time and the chuck jaws are indexed to the vertical, the wire ends are inserted into the chuck and vise jaws of FIGS. 8-12 horizontally as previously indicated. The chuck shaft 59 carries the disc 98 which in turn carries a pair of diametrically opposed indexing rollers '99, one on each side of the shaft. The indexing 'bar 100 is arranged above the disc and is lowered at the proper time by the air cylinder and solenoid valve 105 to engage the higher roller in whatever position it may be in when the twisting stops. The bar causes the rollers to move into horizontal alignment and to turn the chuck shaft until the chuck jaws are horizontal as in FIG. 8 or vertical as in FIG. 3.

The solenoid of the cylinder 90 is then energized to move the carriage to the twisting station and to deposit the ends of the main wires into the previously opened jaws of the chuck and vise as best seen in FIG. 12. Immediately thereafter, the gripping jaws 94 are opened .by the actuation of the air cylinder 97, whereafter the air cylinder 90 becomes effective to return the carriage to the assembling station with the gripping jaws open to receive the wires for the succeeding limb from the hoppers and the star wheels. After the deposit of the wires in the chuck jaws, the chuck and vise jaws are closed on the wire ends and twisting at the twisting station begins, while the sandwiched assembly of wires and twigs takes place at the assembling station to assemble the succeeding branch.

As has been indicated, a suitable sequence timer may 'be employed to energize in the proper order, the motors and the solenoid valves which actuate the air cylinders shown. Or electrical circuits employing various types of switches, relays and the like known electrical instrumentalities may be provided in the usual manner to actuate the cylinders, motors and clutches in the sequence hereinbefore described in the conventional manner in which sequential operations are usually performed and which is well understood by those skilled in the art. The preferred location of said instrumentalities with reference to FIGS. 8-12 will be outlined, it being understood that the controls common to the various forms of the invention are similarly located and that controls of other types may obviously be employed.

At the completion of the cycle of operations, the transfer carriage 82, if employed, is at the assembly station, the twisting mechanism has discharged the twisted limb and may be at rest preparatory to being indexed, the lower main wire has been deposited by the wire feed mechanism in the transfer grippers 83, the garlands have been fed across the wire 15, the upper wire 15a has been set in place over the garlands and the grippers 83 have been closed on the assembled wires and garlands and the twigs have been cut from the clamped assembly. To index the chuck jaws and to begin the movement of the transfer carriage from the assembling station to the twisting station, a first switch in the path of the opening movement of the vise jaw 72a causes actuation of the chuck jaw indexing cylinder 105 and of the cylinder 90 for the carriage, to move the carriage to the twisting station and to insert the wire ends into the open and indexed jaws of the chuck and vise.

A second switch at the end of the path of movement of the transfer carriage toward the twisting station opens the grippers after the wire ends have been placed in the chuck and vise jaws by operating the cylinders 97 and raising the rack 96. The second switch simultaneously operates the cylinders 64 and 76a to close the wire holding jaws; also with delay to cause the cylinder to return the carriage rapidly to the assembling station before twisting begins. Such twisting may begin as soon as the carriage reaches the assembly station and has cleared the space in which the twigs rotate. The second switch also causes the cylinders 50 to raise the garland cutters before feed of the garlands is begun again.

A third switch at the end point of the return path of the carriage between the twisting and assembling stations causes the cylinder to release the indexing means and also energizes the motor 68 to rotate the chuck. Said third switch further with delay causes the cylinder 78 to operate the star wheel 79 after the grippers reach the assembling station, to deposit a lower wire 15 in the grippers.

A fourth switch in the path of a suitable pin on the star wheel 79 causes operation of the clutch 26 and initiates the feed of the garlands metered by the revolution counter. With further delay, said switch causes operation of the cylinder 78 to deposit the upper wire 15a in the grippers and also with delay then causes the cylinder 97 to close the grippers on the wire ends therein.

A fifth switch in the end part of the downward movement of the rack 96 causes the cylinders 50 to lower the cutters and to sever the garlands and also opens the circuit to the motor starter 68, stopping the rotation of the chuck.

A sixth switch in the path of the movement of the vise base 72 toward the chuck as the wires shorten during twisting, and after opening the circuit to the motor 68, with delay causes the cylinder 64 to open the chuck jaws thereby permitting the spring 74 to retract the vise base.

A seventh switch in the path of the retracting vise base causes the cylinder 76a to open the vise jaws and to discharge the work. The mechanisms are then in the position wherein the cycle is automatically repeated beginning with the operation of the first switch as herebefore explained.

In the form of the invention shown in FIGS. 1-5 wherein the assembling station and the twisting station are the same, the cycle may start with the lower main wire 15 deposited directly in the open and indexed chuck jaws and vise jaws. The cutter base 38 has been retracted to its rearmost position.

A first switch in the path of the movable vise jaw 71 is operated by the opening of said jaw during the previous cycle to cause the air cylinder 78 to deposit the wire 15 and with delay to energize the magnetic clutch 26 and counter 32 to meter the feed of the garlands across the wire 15. With further delay, said switch again operates the cylinder 78 to deposit the upper wire 15a in the chuck and vise jaws, and to cause the cylinder 43 (FIG. 3) to advance the cutter base 38.

A second switch in the advancing path of the cutter base causes the cylinder 64 to close the chuck jaws and the cylinder 76 to close the vise jaws. Said switch with suitable delay causes the cylinder 50 to lower the cutting blade and to sever the garlands into twigs of the desired lengths and positions.

A third switch at the end part of the downward path of movement of the cutting blade causes the cylinders 50 to raise the blade.

A fourth switch at the end part of the upward movement of the blade causes the cylinders 43 to retract the cutter base.

A fifth switch in the retracting path of the cutter base causes the cylinder 105 to release the chuck indexing rollers and with delay to energize the magnetic motor starter 68 to rotate the chuck.

The sixth switch in the path of movement of the vise base toward the chuck stops the motor 68 and with delay causes the cylinder 64 to open the chuck jaws and to cause the cylinder 105 to index the chuck jaws.

A seventh switch at the end part of the retracting movement of the vise base causes the cylinder 76 to open the vise jaws.

The first switch, as has been explained, is operated with delay by the vise jaw during the opening movement thereof to deposit the wire 15 for the succeeding branch and to begin the repetition of the cycle as above explained.

While certain specific forms of the invention have been herein shown and described, various obvious changes may be made therein without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention defined by the appended claims.

We claim:

1. An automatic artificial tree assembling machine comprising means for safely feeding each of a set of relatively long lengths of separated garlands straight throughout the entire lengths thereof and having fragile artificial needles, a predetermined distance across a first main wire, said distance varying from garland to garland, means for cutting a twig from each of said long lengths and means for twisting the first main wire together with a second main wire arranged over the first main wire and over the twigs to sandwich the twigs between and across said wires.

2. The machine of claim 1, the cutting means cooperating with the feeding means to cut substantially simultaneously from the set of garlands, twigs differing in length.

3. The machine of claim 1, the cutting means cooperating with the feeding means to cut substantially simultaneously from the garlands twigs of equal lengths.

4. The machine of claim 1, the cutting means comprising a blade and means to reciprocate the blade after the feeding means has advanced the leading end portions of the respective garlands of the' set of garlands different distances from the blade whereby the cut twigs differ in length.

5. The machine of claim 1, the feeding means comprising an advancing roller for each garland, means for driving selected rollers at the same time for the same time period respectively at different circumferential speeds and a yieldable coacting roller for each advancing roller whereby the respective garlands advanced by the selected rollers are advanced different distances at and during the same time.

6. A machine for assembling artificial trees comprising means for delivering a first limb wire into an assembling position, means for feeding a set of long lengths of separated garlands into positions transversely of and over said lim'b wire, each of said garlands being substantially straight throughout the length thereof and being pre-formed of twisted wires and fragile artificial needles held by said wires and radiating therefrom, means for feeding a second limb wire into the assembling position wherein the second wire is above the twigs and substantially coextensive with the first wire, means for cutting and separating from said set of garlands, a set of twigs, and means for thereafter clamping the ends of and twisting said limb wires.

7. The machine of claim 6, the twisting means being in spaced relation to the assembling position of the wires and twigs, and means for transferring the assembled wires and twigs from the assembling position to the twisting means.

8. A machine for assembling artificial trees comprising means for arranging and for advancing in transverse spaced relation a set of substantially straight garlands having secured artificial fragile needles and for positioning the garlands for arrangement between and transversely of a pair of limb wires and means for twisting said wires to secure the garlands to and across the wires.

9. The machine of claim 8, the garland twig arranging and advancing and positioning means comprising cutting means for severing the end portions of long garlands into shorter garland twigs and controlling the lengths of the respective twigs, and mechanism for positioning the twigs above one of the pair of wires and underneath the other of the wires, means for gripping the wires, and means for transferring the gripping means together with the wires and twigs held thereby to the twisting means.

10. A machine for assembling artificial trees which consist of twisted wire and fringed film garlands sandwiched between limb wires, each garland having fragile needles comprising means for safely feeding a plurality of transversely spaced apart garlands substantially straight throughout the lengths thereof simultaneously along substantially parallel paths while avoiding damaging pressure on the needles comprising a pair of cooperating feed rolls for each garland, at least one of the rolls having a soft yieldable edge cover, each pair of rolls being adapted to advance a garland a distance predetermined for the particular garland advanced thereby, means for gripping the ends of said limb wires and for twisting said wires arranged in predetermined spaced relation to the feeding means and comprising a rotary chuck and a vise, and garland cutting means interposed between the twisting means and the feeding means.

11. The machine of claim 10, a hopper for limb wires, means for gripping said wires, means for advancing a first limb wire from the hopper to the gripping means prior to the feed of the garlands by the feeding means and for depositing a second limb wire in the gripping means over the garlands and over the first limb wire and means for reciprocating the gripping means between the hopper and the twisting means.

12. A tree assembling machine for sandwiching garlands in transverse spaced relation to each other between and transversely of a pair of limb wires, each garland having fragile artificial needles, said machine comprising means for simultaneously feeding each of a set of separated garlands longitudinally for a predetermined distance selected for each individual garland of the set, and means for substantially simultaneously cutting twigs of different lengths shorter than the garlands from the end portions of the respective garlands.

13. The machine of claim 12, means for arranging a pair of limb wires across opposite sides of the twigs, and means for twisting the wires.

14. The machine of claim 13, means adapted to receive and to clamp together end portions of said wires with the twigs therebetween, and means for transferring the assembled wires and twigs held by the wire-receiving and clamping means to the twisting means.

15. The method of making a twisted wire limb having projecting garland twigs each twig having fragile needles, comprising simultaneously feeding a plurality of relatively long and straight garlands in transverse spaced relation across a first limb wire, placing a second limb wire in contact with and across the garlands in a position parallel to and over the first limb wire, severing from all of the garlands at the same time relatively short twigs while the garlands are at rest and finally twisting the wires.

16. The method of claim 15, the individual garlands being fed respectively different distance from some of the other garlands for the same time period, the severing being done along a line non-parallel to the limb wires.

17. The method of claim 15, clamping the assembly of wires and twigs together, transferring the assembled and clamped wires and twigs to a twisting station before twisting the wires, and assembling the next pair of wires and twigs by repeating the feeding of the garlands, placing of the second limb wire, and garland severing operations mentioned while the twisting of the preceding assembly proceeds at the twisting station.

18. A machine for assembling artificial trees comprising means for safety advancing longitudinally a substantially straight pre-formed garland having fragile artificial needles,

means for holding, after the advance of the garland, a

pair of limb wires with one of the wires arranged on one side of and across said garland and the other wire arranged on the opposite side of and across said garland, and

means for twisting said limb wires while the garland is therebetween.

19. The machine of claim 18, the twisting means rotating said garland and the advancing means being out of the path of rotation of said garland.

20. The machine of claim 18, and means for cutting a garland twig off the end portion of said garland while said garland is between said limb wires and prior to the twisting of the limb wires by said twisting means.

21. A machine for assembling artificial trees automatically comprising means for safely advancing and for positioning a garland substantially straight throughout the length thereof and of greater length than the garland twigs to be cut therefrom, said garland being held by the advancing means between and projecting transversely beyond both sides of a pair of limb wires until cut by the cutting means hereinafter mentioned and being preformed of fragile artificial needles, and

means for cutting from said garland a garland twig of selected length.

22. The machine of claim 21, and means for twisting said limb wires after the garland twig has been cut off the garland and while the garland twig is between the wires thereby to rotate the garland twig independently of the remainder of the garland.

23. A tree assembling machine comprising means for safely and substantially simultaneously advancing a set of garlands longitudinally and in transverse spaced relation to each other,

each of said garlands being substantially straight and having fragile artificial needles and a support for said needles, means for halting the advancing means when the garlands have been advanced a predetermined distance,

means for severing from the end portions of the set of garlands substantially simultaneously a set of garland twigs.

24. The machine of claim 23, the advancing means ad vancing some of the garlands distances different from those advanced by other garlands of the set.

25. The machine of claim 24, some of the garland twigs severed by the severing means being of different lengths from the lengths of other garlands of the set.

26. The machine of claim 23, the set of garlands being in position between a pair of limb wires in transverse relation to said set to form an assembly of wires and garlands prior to the operation of the severing means, and

means for twisting the wires and rotating the assembly after the operation of the severing means.

27. The machine of claim 26, the severing means comprising a reciprocating blade, and means for retracting the blade away from the trailing ends of the set of cut garland twigs and out of the path of rotation of said assembly.

28. The method of making an artificial tree having projecting garland twigs comprising advancing simultaneously a set of relatively long substantially straight garlands across a limb wire, each garland being preformed with fragile needles, the set of garlands being advanced along substantially parallel paths,

severing substantially simultaneously a set of garland twigs of the required lengths from the end portions of the garlands, and

assembling the first limb wire with a second limb wire to form an assembly.

29. The tree making method of claim 28, and twisting the first and second limb wires of the assembly to secure the set of severed garland twigs between the wires.

30. The method of making an artificial tree having projecting garland twigs, each extending from a pair of limb wires comprising providing a multiplicity of pre-formed substantially straight garlands each longer than the garland twig to be cut therefrom and each having fragile needles,

arranging said garlands while straight in the required spaced relation to each other,

advancing all of the garlands in parallel paths across a first limb wire, each garland being advanced a distance independent of the distance of advance of the other garlands,

placing a second limb wire across the advanced garlands in a position coextensive with and on that side of the garlands opposite the first limb wire,

cutting a garland twig from the end portion of each of the garlands,

clamping the corresponding ends of the wires together to form an assembly,

twisting the wires to rotate the assembly, and releasing the clamped ends of the wires.

31. The tree making method of claim 30, all of the garlands being advanced simultaneously, and the steps of the method being performed in substantially the order mentioned.

32. The tree making method of claim 30,

the distances through which the individual garlands are advanced varying between garlands, and

the limb wires being arranged along a line substantially bisecting the angle between the line of severance of the garland twigs and the line joining the leading ends of the garlands thereby to arrange the garland twigs symmetrically across the limb wires.

33. The method of making an artificial tree comprising advancing a long substantially straight garland having fragile artificial needles longitudinally a predetermined distance across a limb wire positioned on one side of the garland,

halting the advance of the garland when said distance has been attained,

severing a garland twig of the required length from the end portion of the garland while the garland is at rest in a position across the limb wire, and

twisting the limb wire with a second coextensive limb wire arranged on the opposite side of the garland to secure the garland twig between the wires.

34. The method of making an artificial tree comprising longitudinally advancing a substantially straight and relatively long garland, longer than the twigs to be cut therefrom, into position for arrangement of the garland between a pair of limb wires,

severing a twig from the end portion of the garland, and

twisting the wires.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,987,081 6/1961 Stone -112 3,008,496 11/1961 Goddard 140-112 3,049,157 8/1962 Elderton 140-149 3,059,366 10/1962 Kafka et al. 29-505 3,084,721 4/1963 Sindy et al. 140-149 3,109,277 ll/l963 Raymond et al.

3,244,577 4/1966 Raymond 161-22 2,742,327 4/1956 Marks 300-2 2,903,299 9/1959 Marks 300-2 3,112,957 12/1963 Briglia 300-2 CHARLES W. LANHAM, Primary Examiner.

E. M. COMBS, Assistant Examiner. 

